Indiana Grand agrees to adjust scale of weights for jockeys due to coronavirus protocols

Indiana Grand officials on Tuesday decided that all assigned weights at the track will increase by three pounds to deal with issues raised by jockeys related to coronavirus protocols, the officials said.

Eric Halstrom, general manager of racing at the track, released a statement to Daily Racing Form in response to an inquiry saying that track officials, stewards, and riders met during the card Tuesday and decided to increase the scale of weights by three pounds “until further notice.” He said that coronavirus protocols have compelled the track to close its sauna, where many riders go to shed pounds prior to races, and that Indiana also has a “relatively low scale of weights.”

“A more thorough review of the scale of weights will take place as soon as possible,” Halstrom said in the statement.

Indiana Grand is scheduled to race through Nov. 18, running three days a week.

Prior to the third race on Tuesday’s card, four riders – Marcelino Pedroza, Rodney Prescott, Rocco Bowen, and Albin Jimenez – were announced as being off their mounts for the remainder of the card. However, after the third race, the riders were reinstated on their remaining mounts.

In a prepared statement in response to an earlier inquiry by DRF, Dan Fick, the senior state steward, said that the riders were reinstated after “concerns they expressed” had been addressed by the track, but a track spokeswoman said she could not comment yet on the issues that were discussed.

Earlier in the card, several jockeys competed after being announced as six to seven pounds overweight, but none of those riders were the jockeys who were announced as being off their mounts after the second race had been run.